


Haunted Happenings

by adegbby



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: ACOSF SPOILERS, F/M, Post-ACOSF
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-12 01:01:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29626728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adegbby/pseuds/adegbby
Summary: Graysen and the humans from Feyre's old village are unsatisfied with the relations between humans and Fae afer the war with Hybern is over. Demanding more, Rhysand and Feyre allow Graysen to bring two humans from the village to Velaris to show that they do not harbor ill-will toward the humans, but what happens when Graysen brings the two other people in Feyre's village that can bring tensions up and past traumas resurfaced.
Relationships: Feyre Archeron/Rhysand, Nesta Archeron/Cassian
Comments: 15
Kudos: 84





	1. Lucien's News

Lucien smiled grimly at the Inner Circle, all of them exchanging glances after the information he gave them minutes before. It was not enough, for Jurian, Vassa, and Lucien to be leading the humans from civil war and rebellion after the war with Hybern. The people in Feyre’s village were become restless, wanting more than what the Fae were giving them, wanted more than simply keeping the peace.

“They claim it is the only way that there will be real peace,” Lucien explained, just as annoyed with the situation as the rest of them.

“Them coming to Velaris is really the way to do that?” Feyre questioned, she shot a glance at Rhysand, their mating bond enabling them to speak mind to mind.

 _It’s a way for them to see if we will let them come here_ , Feyre spoke to Rhysand, and he nodded in agreement.

Clearing his throat, he stood, hands grasped on the table and looked toward the rest of the Inner Circle shrugging his shoulder. Despite not wanting the humans to come into their lands, he couldn’t help but understand their perspective. Wanting to see the beautiful cities and lands of Prythian that the Fae have been trying to convince them are safe for the last two years. There is no way to fight prejudice with the separation that continued to plague the two species, despite the wall having come down years ago.

Mor was still away on the continent, but he was sure she would agree.

“Alright,” Cassian started, glancing to his mate as he propped his feet on the table everyone was sitting at, “So just let Graysen come alongside you and Jurian, there’s no need for a huge group of humans to come to Velaris.”

Feyre nodded in agreement, shooting a glance at her two sisters, remembering their time in the village before their lives changed, for the better.

“Many of the people in my former village probably just want to come to Velaris just so they can say they did. If we let them roam around the streets their own fears and prejudices would traumatize them enough for them to not come back.” Feyre explained, as Nesta and Elain nodded in agreement.

Elain was glancing out the window, listening to the conversation but not conversing until now.

“If Graysen comes here, I would like to be in the room, it is probably a way for him to get under my skin.”

Her voice seemed far away, as it always does when Graysen was the topic of conversation. Feyre couldn’t help but notice Lucien’s grimace, as he put his hand in his lap and tore his gaze from his mate, who still made her duty to ignore him. Feyre also couldn’t help but notice the shadows around Azriel tightening behind his shoulders, almost withdrawing from the windows that Elain was gazing out of.

Internally groaning, Feyre looked at the ceiling, wanting to leave this meeting. Emerie and Gwyn were that her river house watching Nyx, not wanting to be a part of the meetings that Nesta keeps inviting them too. They made for good babysitters though, and Feyre knew Rhys agreed with her as he met her gaze, stars sparkling in his eyes as they both took a moment to think about their beautiful child that awaited their return.

He was only a couple of months old and was the light of Feyre’s life. Paintings of his face, smile, laugh, and the future life that they were starting to live out were filling her studios, and Rhys couldn’t get enough of him. They were plenty of times Feyre came back from painting classes to find her two boys asleep on the bed she shared with Rhys, snoring softly together. Feyre would slide into bed next to them, nestling against her mate and son, heart bursting at the love she had for both of them until she almost couldn’t take the emotional bliss of it.

“Feyre,” Nesta snapped impatiently, noticing that her head was somewhere else. Feyre blinked, remembering the meeting and glanced back to Lucien as Rhys smiled softly at her.  
“We can let Graysen come to Velaris and choose two other humans he would like to bring, if that would appease him,” Rhys said to Lucien, who nodded grimly.

“He already knows who he wants to bring, I think.” Lucien responded, glancing around to the others in the Inner Circle.

Amren rolled her eyes, fiddling with the glass in front of her on the table. There had been peace in Velaris for some time now, under the threat of Koschei and alliances with the Autumn Court, but no larger moves from Beron or anyone on the continent have been made, so the Inner Circle has been enjoying spending time with Nyx and smaller issues, such as the one Lucien was presenting to them.

Feyre pursed her lips, she couldn’t think of anyone Graysen would want to bring besides his father and maybe some soldiers that were stationed at his estate. She figured he would probably want to bring his strongest men to show that they could rival the Fae warriors, even if that wasn’t even close to the truth. She strengthened her back, channeling her high Lady mindset while working on her posture, waiting for Lucien to say the names of people she probably has never head of before.

“They are just random people, I can’t remember the exact names, but a man named Isaac and the son of a prominent woodcutter in the village.”

Elain gasped, tearing her gaze from the window and staring at Lucien, her brown eyes wide and doe-like. Feyre’s mouth opened wide, gaping at her first friend in the Spring Court, and Nesta’s face drained of color, as she stood up quickly knocking over the chair she was previously sitting in, gripping the table until her knuckles turned white.

“Isaac Hale and Tomas Mandray?” Feyre whispered, as fear and fury flickered in Nesta’s eyes, silence plagued the table, nobody but the three sisters knew the extent of what was happening.

The humans didn’t want to intimidate the Fae, they knew only three specific people could keep everyone in the Night Court on edge and knock them all down a peg in anxiety and tension, and that was the three previous lovers of the Archeron sisters.

Rhysand glanced around, as did Azriel and Cassian, all three of them shocked. Lucien looked as confused as the other men.

“What? What is the issue?” Lucien asked, Azriel’s shadows about to devour him as he was slipping into the corner of the room, ready to attack the threat.

Cassian’s eyes narrowed, as if he was connecting dots inside of his head. Nesta never told Feyre what happened with the events that led up to Nesta breaking off her engagement with Tomas Mandray, but by Nesta’s reaction, Feyre had some sort of idea. After all, she was the one who warned Nesta about Tomas’ family and their actions toward women.

“Tomas Mandray will not be coming here.” Nesta said sharply, turning on her heel and walking out of the house, door slamming behind her.


	2. The Men From the Village

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Feyre explains to the Inner Circle and Lucien who exactly Isaac Hale and Tomas Mandray truly are.

He knew he should follow Nesta, but Cassian also knew that Feyre was about to explain in detail just who the men that were coming to Velaris soon were, and Cassian sure as hell would not get answers out of Nesta. This was her most well-guarded secret. The identity of the man that still haunted her dreams.

Cassian knew that some of Nes’ nightmares weren’t just from the cauldron, her father, or the disappointed, failed faces of Feyre and Elain from her past. No. There was a more personal, intimate nightmare. The sound of a dress ripping, the terror in her eyes as screams bubbled and couldn’t be released.

Cassian has held Nesta close to his body, wings wrapped around the two of them calming the rising storm inside of her. She never cried about it, no, but the terror froze her in a way she couldn’t move her body until Cassian whispered comforts into her ears, promising that the man who almost violated her was nowhere near here, and that Cassian would never let anything happen to her. Now, he could not whisper those truths, as he was going to be in Velaris in the next couple of days and was sure he would demand to see Nesta.

Cassian would not allow it. If this Tomas Mandray made one step toward Nesta he would rip his body apart limb from limb. The thought of the human man was enough to make Cassian grind his teeth.

Elain went over to Feyre and whispered something in her ear, Feyre nodded grimly and cleared her throat, looking around at her family.

“Isaac Hale was a man from my village that I met up with sometimes,” she muttered. Cassian couldn’t tell for sure, but he was sure he saw a faint blush cross her cheeks, and despite the situation with Nesta, he felt a small smile form on his lips, but it did not reach his eyes. He glanced at Rhys with a small amount of amusement, and saw his eyes narrowing, surely realizing where this was going.

“Don’t tell me you were sleeping with him,” Rhys groaned, putting his head in his hands. Feyre gave a small smile, but similar to Cassian, he knew worry and fear were still flickering behind her eyes. Not at any threat to Velaris or her family, but of what the other man would trigger in Nesta.

Despite mending their relationship immensely after Nyx was born, Cassian knew that Nesta and Feyre still had a minorly tense relationship, but as he and Rhys often talk about, both sisters were trying, and it was working. That did not mean Nesta was going to spill her heart out to Feyre about how she was feeling with this newfound threat. No, she was probably doing that to Emerie and Gwyn right now, all three of the Valkyries with Nyx at the river house.

“We didn’t date by any means, but we would meet up in a barn sometimes and you know…” Feyre glanced away from her family, her sentence falling short at the implication. Elain muttered something about being improper, and Cassian didn’t miss Feyre and Rhysand looking at each other silently, probably communicating.

“The last thing I want to see is a male that you slept with Feyre, darling,” Rhys drawled, but there was no bite in his words. Rhys had a knack for recognizing the charged tension in the room and was making a show of trying to ease everyone’s emotions.

Feyre piped up once more, “last I heard of him, he was married to a girl with a baby on the way. I was just about to go Under the Mountain.”

The Inner Circle grimaced at the time frame and what was about to come. The table went silent again, and Azriel’s shadows slipped away from him once more, voicing perhaps what nobody else wanted to voice.

“What of Tomas Mandray?” he said softly, glancing toward Elain and Feyre. Cassian leaned forward in his seat. Hopefully the explanation would be quick, and he could be on his way, he wanted to speak to his mate before ripping the skin off of this human male.

“Clearly Nesta does not have a good history with him,” Amren cut in, stating the obvious with a sharp glare to Azriel. The message was clear, she did not think they should be discussing Nesta’s past without clear reason to. But perhaps this was a good reason to.

“Tomas and Nesta were betrothed before…” Elain waved her hand, mimicking Feyre’s fall off of conversation. Lucien looked away again, and Cassian could smell the guilt that simmered off of him in the direction toward his mate.

_Before we were taken, before we were forced into the Cauldron because of Tamlin. Lucien was with Tamlin. Before we were made, before all of this, back when we were normal._

All of the words went unsaid, and a layer of unease struck the room. Azriel took a step forward, as if to go over to Elain, but Rhys shot him a sharp look, and even before that, Azriel’s shadows were eating him up again, restraining him and hiding his scent. Lucien did not notice, but Feyre glanced curiously between her mate and the shadowsinger.

“Nesta broke it off when Feyre was in the Spring Court, before she came back the first time. I didn’t know why.” Elain finished, but Cassian knew there was more she didn’t speak out loud. The gaze went to Feyre and it looked as if tears threatened to spill down her eyes.

“When Tamlin brought me to Prythian, I told Nesta to break off the engagement with Tomas. Their family… their family is not respectable. And I don’t mean socially. Their father beats their mother, and all of their sons sit around and watch, and don’t do anything about it. I assumed the behavior would be passed down, and I did not want that for Nesta. I only assume something along those lines happened when she broke it off.”

The roaring in Cassian’s head got louder, drowning out the reactions of the rest of his family, but he felt a reassuring hand on his shoulder and looked to see Feyre had got up and moved toward him.

Cassian looked at her, “I know that there was a man who tried to hurt her,” he cleared his throat, his voice raw and on the verge of breaking.

“She won’t tell me the details, but I know she dreams of the sounds of her dress ripping and the fear that debilitates her from moving. She refuses to tell me the name of the man, but now I know.” Cassian stood up quickly, making for the door.

Anger lined each step, and he quickly transformed into warrior mode, unsheathing the blade he constantly keeps on him, “This man is dead,” he growled. There was no way the man who tried to rape his mate would remain fine under the roof all of them lived in. He would fly to Feyre’s village himself right now.

Az stopped him, and Rhys stood up blocking the door.

“You can’t,” Rhys said, although it looked as if it pained him. “This man is now an emissary from Feyre’s village, killing him would cause a war between the humans.”

Cassian’s wings flared, and all he could see was red, “This man tried to violate my mate,” he snarled, “You would be doing the same thing if it was Feyre.”

Rhys’ eyes softened and he shot a quick glance at Feyre, one full of compassion, fear, and understanding.

“I know,” Rhys said, “but this is also Nesta’s fight too.”

Az’s hand remained on Cassian’s shoulder, but rather than the restraining grip it started as, it turned into a comforting presence to keep him grounded and aware of his surroundings. With a quick pat, Azriel retreated back into the shadows, and Cassian wanted to thank him for being the brother he always was, but no words could form. Cassian did not know how to tell his family that this was a fight he was not sure Nesta would fight. Nobody knew the frozen fear that wrapped around his mate when it came to this man.

Lucien chimed in, “I have to agree with Rhysand, Cassian.” Lucien said formally, although strained and compassionate, he stole a quick glance at Elain, whose eyes were still focused on her sister, not acknowledging that her mate was also in the room.

“The humans are doing this as a test. They know the Archeron sisters have sway here, and they want to show Prythian and the Night Court that humans are able to mess with the Fae whenever they want. Killing Tomas would show that we were unrestricted, impulsive beasts that kill when we want. It is our job to show them that peace is obtainable.”

Cassian knew Lucien was right, but it took all of his strength to swallow his anger and reign his wings tight into his back.

Feyre glanced to Rhysand and spoke for the rest of the group, “Lucien, tell Jurian and Graysen that they will be welcomed into Velaris in four days, as we need time to prepare for their visit. Cassian,” Feyre went back over to her mate, bur her eyes were trained on Cassian, “go to Nesta.”

Cassian did not have to be told twice as his wings flared once more, and he started striding to the door. A soft weight grabbed his wrist, gentle yet firm, and Elain looked up at him with her big brown eyes,

“Take me with you,” she spoke softly, though all the room could hear. Cassian nodded, ignoring Lucien’s tense posture as he scooped Elain into his arms and shot into the sky, flying for the river house. Flying to his mate.


	3. Take Me Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nesta retreats back to her friends for comfort, and prepares for the upcoming meeting using the only defense she has: anger.

Nesta took a deep breath before quietly opening the door to the river house, not wanting to wake Nyx if Gwyn and Emerie set him down for a nap. Initially, Nesta was skeptical of the relationship Feyre, and especially Rhysand, would enable her to have with her nephew, but the trust and love that always seeped out of Feyre helped ease the past family tensions. Nesta saw Nyx almost every day, and she loved her nephew more than she knew her mother loved her.

She heard soft laughter and squeals coming from the family room and couldn’t stop the tears from forming in her eyes as she opened the door to see her two best friends, _sisters_ , playing with her nephew.

Gwyn was holding Nyx over her head as his wings flared and flapped. He was just beginning to learn to fly, and Feyre and Nesta loved watching Cassian, Azriel, Rhysand, and Emerie giggling over Nyx’s attempts to get in the air. It was a little early, so he’s never made it off the ground, but that what you get when your family is made up of over-excited bats.

It didn’t stop them from letting him pretend though, and the tight ball that felt like it was squeezing her heart eased a tiny bit at the sight of them.

Emerie saw her first, turning to her with a smile that quickly dropped off her face when she saw Nesta’s panic. Gwyn looked second, lowering Nyx down to the floor, where he began crawling happily to his aunt. Usually, Nesta would go straight for him and scoop him up, but she already felt guilty for interrupting their game, she didn’t want to be more of a burden.

It felt like she was always doing that. She wanted to get past her trauma, needed to be better for those around her, but her past always seemed to resurface. She knew the Inner Circle and her two friends in front of her have also faced unimaginable truths. Gods, she was freaking out over Tomas when Gwyn was standing happily in front of her, the echo of the Hybern soldiers constantly a wave that would wash over her. And the logical, calm part of her knew nobody was going to blame her for panicking and retreating from the love they had to offer, but the frenzied, angry part of her couldn’t recognize that.

Nesta opened her mouth to respond, and both girls quickly strode over, pulling her down onto the couch to get to the bottom of what was plaguing their friend. Emerie scooped Nyx up in her arms on the way to the sofa, a soft giggle erupting from the small boy, who was already reaching for his Aunt Nesta’s bun, his favorite thing to pull, much to Nesta’s dismay and everyone else’s amusement.

The words didn’t come, but Nesta’s face crumpled in sobs as the face of Tomas filled her mind. She often wished that the Cauldron took those memories of him and buried them deep within herself. These past years that is what she has been trying to do, with no success. Her two friends and nephew snuggled next to her, and Emerie wiped the tears from her face as Gwyn continued to hold her in a tight embrace.

“It’s okay Nesta,” Emerie whispered, soothing her tears, “Do you want to tell us what happened?”

Nesta didn’t know how she was able to communicate with her two friends, but it has always been easier to talk to them than her sisters of anyone in the inner circle. Even with Cassian conversation flowed easily and naturally, her heart belonging to him, but Tomas was a topic she refused to breech, unless it was with the two girls next to her that could understand her pain.

Through her blubbering and sniffling, the words Tomas Mandray and coming to Velaris must have slipped out, because Nesta watched as Gwyn and Emerie exchanged worried glances.

“We will be there with you for the meeting if you want us to be,” Gwyn whispered softly. Nesta knew how hard it was for her to meet new men and step outside of the comforts of the library, even as she turned a blind eye to the taunting and teasing banter that erupted between her friend and Azriel. Gwyn and Emerie were two of the only people that Nesta told the whole story of Tomas to, and the fact that Gwyn was even offering to come made her shattered heart mend a tiny bit.

Nesta shook her head, she knew what Graysen was playing at, forcing the Archeron sister hands by bringing their past lovers and betrothed into their new lives, throwing everything off balance. Nesta knew that Graysen probably wanted to the Fae to overreact, most likely expecting Cassian to rip Tomas to shreds before he even walked through the door.

Nesta thought it once and she would tell Cassian again, she would not wish that death upon anybody, and she knew that the only way she was going to face Tomas and come out with her dignity was putting her head high and acting like the rich, cold daughter of the merchant king that the people in her old life knew her to be.

She looked down at the small trinket dangling from the friendship bracelet at her wrist, glancing at the two others that were worn proudly by her sisters, in everything but blood. Who was Tomas to come here and disrupt her life? She was so far removed from him, he was a part of a past so distant sometimes she didn’t even remember it, and yet she still let him haunt her.

Not anymore.

The sadness she had been feeling quickly turned to anger, her pale face filling with red. Nesta knew it wasn’t a step in the right direction, but the anger was something palpable she could reach back into, defend herself with. If Tomas wanted to come bring her life in the village and display it for her mate to see, her new family to see, then she would show everyone the claws and teeth that came with being a wolf. The princess her mom honed her into. The queen she became, and the lady of death the Fae whispered about.

She knew when Cassian sensed the anger around her, his eyes would go soft with pity and concern, so she made the decision to avoid him until Tomas came, and then she would unleash herself.

Before she could stand up and storm to the training ring, wanting to punch something, small hands grabbed her face. Deep blue eyes staring into her gray-blue ones.

Nyx made a joyful sound of concern, and the anger that raged inside of her turned to mush at her nephew’s face.

Nesta patted his tuft of black hair, pulling him in for a hug and kiss. She never thought of herself as a mother until she met Cassian, and even then, it was just about the life she shared with him, not the life she would have with a child.

Seeing Feyre softly take on the world with her small family left a gaping hole in Nesta’s heart. Even in their old life, living as humans, Nesta knew that Feyre was going to make her family happy someday. Nesta did not deserve the hunting, working, and laboring that Feyre gave her, and Feyre never voiced ill-will toward the past that they shared, almost as if she knew Nesta was still not ready to face it.

“You guys won’t be able to be at the meeting, I’m pretty sure it’s just for the inner circle,” Nesta whispered to them, still holding Nyx close, not able to meet her friend’s eyes. They nodded in understanding and didn’t move away from her. Both of them knew there was only so many words to speak about topics such as these, sometimes you just needed your best friends to give you a hug.

A couple more minutes passed of Emerie and Gwyn’s soft comforts, and Nesta made a mental note to save her anger for later, when Nyx was back in Feyre’s arms and Rhys’ care. Even the thought of Tomas made her feel squeamish enough to hand Nyx to Gwyn, standing up and wiping her smudged mascara off her cheeks. She blew out a breath of air, but before she could bid her friends farewell sounds of whooshing wind and rapid footsteps sounded outside of the door.

Nesta groaned internally, she waited too long, and now Cassian was going to barge in with his fierce love and comforting words.

Was it too much for Nesta to want to stay angry? She knew that once Cassian opened his mouth tears, words, and maybe even flame would erupt from her soul. She was barely containing it now and her mate had just got here.

So, her face became a calm mask of cool, and when the door jolted open and Cassian and Elain ran in, her sharp eyes caused them to skid to a halt, taking in the scene around them. Nyx screeched a syllable that sounded similar to “Cassa” with a few misplaced letters and started bucking in Gwyn’s arms until she brought him out of the room, still reaching for his uncle.

Gwyn knew it wasn’t that time, but Emerie remained where she was on the couch, offering Nesta the silent support she knew she needed, no matter what was going to come out of her mouth.

Nesta almost wished she followed Gwyn, she couldn’t imagine these next few minutes were going to be pleasant as the fear and panic Nyx kept at bay started clawing up her throat again. Making her chest feel tight and her fingers curl and clench. But Emerie had never been one that was easily scared off.

Cassian stepped forward, about to stride over to Nesta and embrace her, but Nesta’s word came out icy and sharp,

“Don’t,” she said, putting a hand up to halt him.

* * *

“Don’t” Nesta said, and Cassian stopped in his tracks. He knew she would be like this, but _fuck_ , he wish he came earlier. His mate had a tendency to retreat inside herself, lashing out in anger rather than reaching for help.

Usually her protests didn’t stop him, if he had it his way, they would already be flying in the air back to the House of Wind, but the pain and fear in her voice left him frozen. He wasn’t sure if anyone else caught it, Elain sure didn’t as she gave her sister a soft smile, but Emerie glanced at her friend before continuing to look down at her hands.

Before Cassian could shake off the initial shock of her suffering, _gods he should have known regardless_ , Elain stepped forward. 

“It will be okay, Nesta,” she started, walking over to her sister and grabbing her wrist, holding it close to her heart, “Graysen will be there too, we all suffered heartbreak and hurt at the hands of these men.”

She paused, contemplating for a second,

“Well maybe not Feyre, but I understand where you are coming from…I was supposed to be married too.”

The second the words left Elain’s lips Cassian knew it was the wrong thing to say. Naïve Elain, _of course_ she thought this was about a failed marriage and not the assault and fear that occurred at at the hands of this man, Tomas. He didn’t think she could be that ignorant, did she even hear a word they said back at the town house?

Elain had always had her head somewhere else, daydreaming about marriage and love, but even Cassian shook his head at this.

Nesta seemed to be thinking the same thing as him, and she quickly wrenched her wrist out of Elain’s grasp and bared her teeth.

“Don’t for a second compare those two things,” she breathed, looking at Elain as if she never saw her before, “I would never grovel before someone like Graysen and wish for my old life back,” she snapped, closing her eyes for a split second and taking a quick inhale in.

Cassian could tell she was lashing out with her words, using the only mask and shield she knew. Even at the blatant disregard for the situation on Elain’s part, Nesta didn’t mention what caused her emotional reaction to Tomas, no, she was just going after Elain where she knew it would hurt.

Nesta’s anger was a beast not many could conquer, and she knew it too. Cassian couldn’t help but think she was saving the worst for the human boy to take the brute of her poisoned words. Like hell he would let that happen, even if he did want to see it.

“Nes,” he started moving toward her, but her eyes moved toward the floor and she wrapped her hands around her torso, stomping toward the door. She didn’t even look at him.

“Nesta,” he said with more urgency, following her out into the front lawn where the rest of the inner circle, minus Az and Lucien, the former most likely already in Feyre’s village and the latter probably still in the town house, were trying to wait casually.

Nesta saw them and stomped forward, moving right towards Feyre who straightened her posture and held her chin up,

“Take me home,” she choked, and Cassian could tell she did not want to fly back with him. His wings flared in frustration, and Feyre shot him a look as she looked over Nesta’s shoulder in confirmation.

“Don’t look at him,” Nesta said in annoyance, her words like a slap to Feyre’s face as she looked back at her sister. Full of concern, Feyre grabbed her sister’s arm, but before anything could happen Cassian laid a hand on Nesta’s shoulder, causing her to rip free of her sister and her mate and whirl around.

“Don’t touch me!” she shrieked, but the second the words came out, her whole body deflated in defeat and she moved toward Cassian’s arms, silent sobs wracking her body. It was almost as if she reached her breaking point and Cassian provided the perfect outlet for her anger, transforming it immediately into sorrow. He knew exactly what he was doing when he reached his arm out.

Cassian drew her close to his chest, one arm around her back and the other intertwined with her hair, giving her kisses on top of her head and whispering reassurances into her ear. The rest of the group watched on in pitiful silence, as Nesta’s quiet tears turned into louder cries, even though Nesta’s “louder cries” tended to still be quiet.

Cassian glanced toward the window and saw Gwyn and Emerie peeking through one of the curtains, holding Nyx in between them. Rhys followed his gaze, his eyes softening at his son, and winnowed behind Emerie and Gwyn, who were expecting him. Cassian’s wings flared at the same time Nyx’s small ones did, although for different reasons, and Cassian shot into the sky to take Nesta home.

He doesn’t let her down until they were in their room at the House of Wind, sitting down on the bed with her in his lap. She held onto him, head resting on his shoulder in defeat and silence, and Cassian knew not to push. She would speak when she was ready.

They sat quietly for another couple of minutes, Cassian running reassuring hands down her slender back, and Nesta sniffled, unfolding her legs from behind his back and standing up.

“Thanks for the fly home,” she said, attempting a smirk that fell flat. Cassian’s eyes narrowed, and she headed over to the bathroom and started running the war.

“You better come back here,” Cassian said softly, following her footsteps into the bathroom and watched as she stared down at the running water, making no moves to get in or bathe. She glanced at him warily,

“What? It’s fine, Tomas Mandray is a nobody.” She snapped, her words short and curt. But her eyes told him what she didn’t speak out loud. Even saying his name caused her to wince slightly, she drew her eyes away from his and looked down, her breathes shallow and becoming more panicked.

“Come on Nes,” Cassian whispered, walking over and wrapping his arms, then his wings around Nesta slowly, mimicking a shield around her body “Talk to me, I thought we were past telling lies that you know I’ll see right through.”

She leaned into his touch, but did not offer anything further, her gaze still trapped in the water flowing in the bathtub. Cassian turned the faucet off and led her back to the room, sitting down next to her on the bed and pressing a kiss to her forehead.

“Is this him?” He asked, the rest of the sentence went unspoken, and Nesta finally met his eyes. The fear and sadness that he saw ripped his heart out of his chest and stomped on it, and all he could do was blink and hug her closer. She didn’t say anything, but she didn’t need to as she slowly nodded her head and looked at her hands again.

“I wish I still had my full power,” she said, the first time she has ever voiced an opinion like that, and the first time she has ever missed her power since she gave it back to the Cauldron to save Feyre.

_The Cauldron’s power, not mine,_ she always corrected.

“I want to kill him,” she whispered. Cassian nodded,

“I know Nes.”

“I don’t want to see him.”

“I know Nes.”

Cassian knew that Nesta was waiting for him to reassure her that she wouldn’t have to face him, was waiting for him to tell her that Tomas was already dead, that Cassian killed him before he came to the river house.

But Cassian also knew that she wasn’t going to hear that, and Nesta knew it too. Everything changed when Graysen became involved, painting Tomas as an emissary to the human lands and making him a pawn in his grand plan. A piece that Cassian could not take out without risking war and conflict. Nesta knew it, Cassian knew it, everyone knew it, and yet it did not make anything easier.

“If I let him see my like this, he wins, if I get angry at him, he wins, if he sees any sort of pain or hesitation, he wins,” she rambled on, putting her head in her hands, “it feels like the only thing I can do is lash out, and even then, he will think of me as the same weak, human girl that I was when he tried to…” she sighed, waving her hand.

The defeat in her words made Cassian’s heart clench, and he put his hand under her chin and lifted her head, so their eyes met.

“He doesn’t win, Nesta,” he began, wiping the tears that were still falling from her face, “you already won by fighting back, by training here and living your life. You think the humans don’t know what you’ve done? Every time Az goes into the village he hears whispers of the Archeron sisters who were made into fae and _survived_. Feyre who is High Lady of a Fae Court, Elain who wielded Truth Teller, and _you_ who killed the king of Hybern, pointed your finger at him and fulfilled the promise that _you_ made.”

Nesta’s eyes widened at his words, and she looked down at her hands, but instead of fear and panic there was surprise and awe.

“It doesn’t feel like I’ve done all that, and yet I know I did. It feels like a different me.” She said softly, smiling in a way that came out more as a grimace.

Cassian took her hands and kissed them, “that man is probably lying awake scared to be in your presence again, knowing that he could end up the one with his severed head hanging from your fingers.”

Nesta snorted, a small smile on her face. It didn’t reach her eyes, but Cassian knew it was progress. He laid back, pulling Nesta down with him and cuddled her close to his body, once again wrapping his wings around her in a tight embrace.

“This is your battle Nes, but I won’t let anything happen to you,” he whispered into her hair. Nesta’s finger trailed the edges of Cassian’s wings slightly, just enough to make him shudder.

“I know,” she responded, “I’m still going to be mean.”

Cassian snorted, dropping a kiss on the top of her head, “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

He waited until her breath evened out, and the small snores that she always released in her sleep, even though she doesn’t know it, began. The smile dropped off his face as he held his mate tighter. It was going to be a miracle if he could take one look at this Tomas boy and not rip him to shreds, but Rhys was right, it’s Nesta’s fight and the most he could do was be there for her.

He just hoped he was enough.


	4. Ice Cold Shield

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Inner Circle plans for the meeting that is going to take place the next day.

Cassian strode into Rhys’ office, hoping to find Nesta already seated with the rest of the Inner Circle and Elain, but of course she wasn’t there. When he woke up this morning, he reached over to pull his mate closer to his chest and found the bed empty. It was rare Nesta got up before him, and even rarer that he didn’t wake up amidst her jumble of noise. 

She must not have wanted to be heard. 

He cursed himself, because he knew that she wouldn’t be here. Why would she leave Cassian’s side and go to Feyre or Rhys? But some part of him was still expecting to see her sitting at the chair with her arms crossed over her chest, fuming and silent, but still present. 

Feyre frowned at him, the question forming on her lips as to where her sister is. They were supposed to be meeting here to discuss how to go about the situation, and Nesta was the most important part of the equation.

Cassian shrugged his shoulders, “She wasn’t there when I woke up, I assumed she would be here.” 

Rhys glanced at Cassian, frowning and checking the clock on the wall, rubbing his temples and looking down at the papers on his desk. He left out a breath of frustration. Cassian knew that he was already on edge because Isaac was coming, even though that was the least of their problems. 

Feyre already assured them Isaac was a good enough man, but that didn’t stop Rhys’ small twinges of jealousy where his mate was involved. 

Amren took a seat by the desk and put one leg over the other, “we should just get started, Nesta will show up on her own time.” 

The rest of the group nodded, and Cassian repressed the urge to turn on his heel and find his mate, flying over the city of Velaris until she saw her slim figure marching through the streets on a mission of some kind. 

Feyre cleared her throat and started to lay out their plan, glancing quickly at Rhys who gave her a reassuring smile. He was letting her take the reins on this one since she knew more about the men from her old village than the rest of them, except maybe Elain and Nesta, but the former wasn’t offering any commentary sitting by the window, and the latter was nowhere to be found. 

“We can just go through each human boy and see how to tackle this,” Feyre started, and Azriel began to report the information that he gathered in the village yesterday. 

It was nothing new according to Feyre. They have dealt with Greyson enough to know how to handle him. That wouldn’t be the issue (besides the fact that Elain had to be present). Besides his father, Jurian, and Vassa, Greyson was one of the humans with actual influence that lived on Prythian, and they did not want to start any conflicts that would lead to more bloodshed and unnecessary resources being used. 

“The only issue is Elain will probably have to interact with him, and I doubt Greyson will be pleasant…” Rhys drawled, but Cassian was already drowning them out. Where could Nesta be? Was she training? But he would have seen her outside in the ring. 

He didn’t have to wonder long, because before Rhysand could finish his thought, that Elain should offer Greyson pleasantries and not much more since Elain wasn’t as well-versed in the politics of the human-fae relations as the rest of them, Nesta busted through the door with ice cold rage that froze Cassian’s blood. 

The room went silent, and Nesta glanced around, meeting Cassian’s eyes, and without any faltering emotions or greetings sat in the seat closest to him and crossed her arms, not offering any explanation or apology for being late. 

“Look who decided to show up,” Amren smiled, sliding her eyes over to Nesta. 

Nesta didn’t respond, just shot her an icy glare that caused Feyre to clear her throat and continue talking, if just to ease the tension in the room. When everyone’s faces turned back to her, Cassian put a hand on Nesta’s thigh as a small comfort. Despite how hard she made it to not be mad, Cassian knew that’s exactly how she wanted everyone to be, and he’d be damned if he let her push him away again. 

Gone was the upset, emotional Nesta that he shielded his wings around last night as he held her close, and here was the vengeful character she thought she needed to be, believing it was the only way to protect her heart. 

Keep reaching out your hand, Amren told him all those months ago, back when what he was seeing now was the face Nesta put on every day. He knew now not to attack her reactions, not to tear her down and rip her apart with his words, but to reach out his hand. And so he kept his hand on her thigh. The fact that she didn’t move to escape the weight was telling enough. If she truly didn’t think she needed to be here, she wouldn’t have come. 

“Isaac was never going to be a problem,” Feyre was saying, and Cassian snapped his attention back to the conversation. They’ve moved on from Greyson, and Cassian couldn’t say he minded missing it. Nobody in the Inner Circle felt any positive emotion for him, besides perhaps Elain, who couldn’t seem to get over her failed engagement. 

Rhysand groaned, and Cassian knew it was a calculated break of tension, Rhys and Feyre seem to have a knack for timing those things perfectly. 

“and here I was wanting to hate him,” he said, and Feyre looked at him, her eyes dancing with a soft smile on her lips. 

“Too bad for you Feyre always wants to one up her sisters,” Nesta says, sarcasm lining her tone as Cassian watched Feyre’s smile drop off her face. He groaned internally, as much as he loved Nesta, he could never interfere with their sister fights, it was between them and them only. 

Rhys snarled and Feyre shot him another look, the annoyance in her eyes dimmed to a warning. Rhys stopped short as Feyre decided to ignore her older sister’s jab, and Cassian glared at his mate, and when he knew she saw it and still didn’t respond, he gave Feyre an apologetic smile. 

“You don’t need to apologize for me,” Nesta retorted, catching the look and still not meeting his eyes, 

“Then stop doing things that make me want to,” he shot back, and she bit her tongue and looked at her hands in her lap. 

There was a beat of silence, and this time it was Azriel who broke the silence that plagued the room. 

“Their plan is to have Isaac come first, not Greyson; I think more as a peace offering if anything.” He reported, explaining Lucien’s reports on winnowing the humans here, one at a time. 

“Greyson will come last, I’m assuming it’s because he doesn’t want there to be any person to be the scapegoat, we will have to direct our initial conversations and greetings to Isaac and Tomas directly, there isn’t a way to avoid that.” 

Feyre nodded and shot her eyes to her sisters quickly. Elain didn’t seem to be having any reaction to the fact that Greyson was coming. Usually, she is at a loss for words, panicked and red, at even the mention of her ex-fiancé, but now she was just watching Nesta with a worried furrow in her brow. 

Cassian couldn’t help but wonder if it was just an overarching worry for her older sister, or another reason, but that was a different topic for a different time. 

Everyone knew what person they had to talk about next, but nobody wanted to be the one to say the name. Cassian knew it certainly wouldn’t be him, as he couldn’t even think about the name without growling in rage, his wings flaring out. He could see that Rhys was debating it, but certainly didn’t want to cause any outburst with Nesta, for the sake of Feyre but also for the relationship with his mate’s sister. 

Ever since Nyx’s birth, when Rhys bowed to Nesta in gratefulness, the relationship between his brother and Nesta was better, still strained, but better. Cassian also knew that the night of Nesta’s nightmare, in which Rhys went into her mind, was still something he thought about often, almost sympathizing with the older Archeron, not that he would ever say it. 

Nobody thought their mutual respectful relationship would last, it was always close to crumbling with new conflict, but he knew that Rhys was trying because of how it eased Feyre. Cassian could even see Nesta’s efforts, no matter how coded and subtle they were, to not insult Rhysand’s behaviors in order to have a more peaceful family dinner. 

“Let’s just talk about Tomas, that’s why I’m here anyway,” Nesta said, with venom in her words, directed at nobody in particular. Rhys didn’t waste a single breathe and started laying out questions for how Nesta should act, what she was comfortable with, and how the sisters think Tomas will behave. 

“I’m assuming he will be afraid of us, especially Cassian,” Amren said, motioning Cassian’s heaping mounds of muscle and rageful wrath with her hands. Cassian couldn’t help the flicker of proud that went down his spin. 

Good, better him be afraid. 

Cassian smirked at Amren, who rolled her eyes to the warrior, before anybody else in the Inner Circle could add onto their easy smiles, Nesta snorted. 

All eyes turned to her in question, but she refused to offer any more explanation. 

“What, Nes? I can be scary,” Cassian said, flinging an arm over her shoulder with a forced relaxation that Nesta thankfully did not shrug away from, but she remained silent and tense, a rueful smile on her lips that was almost pitying. 

“He doesn’t hold a candle to you Cass,” Feyre interrupted, throwing her body into a close chair and rubbing her temples, “Tomas Mandray is just,” she paused,” for lack of better words, wrong. I would see him hunting in the forest sometimes when I was out getting food.” 

Elain frowned at the reminder of Feyre’s hunting, and a flicker of emotion that Cassian couldn’t quite place passed quickly across her eyes. She glanced slowly at her sister, not meeting the hardened gaze of Rhysand, whose knuckles were white gripping the edge of his desk. Cassian knew he never appreciated the reminders of Feyre’s sacrifices, even if he was on the verge of forgiving Elain and Nesta for their past. 

“I’m pretty sure he was just looking for Fae to kill,” Feyre explained, her words coming out more careful and calculated, “He wasn’t afraid or cautious, just happy to be wild and unchecked. I don’t think he would be scared of you three,” 

Cassian and his two brothers opened their mouths to object, but Feyre cut them off before any of them could speak,   
“He should be, gods, but if his main purpose is to unsettle Nesta, that will take his focus over his fear.” 

“Sounds like a joy,” Amren hissed, toying with the expensive necklace around her neck, flashing Nesta a small smile that came off as more of a grimace. 

Jumping off of Amren’s comment, most likely to release more tension, Feyre muttered something under her breath that Nesta stiffened her back at. He didn’t catch it, but judging by the immediate change in Nesta’s demeanor, Cassian knew whatever she said was not something that Nesta was going to be quiet about. 

Her eyes narrowed, and she uncrossed her legs, leaning toward her younger sister. Elain stood up slowly and walked toward Feyre’s side, which made Nesta bare her teeth, not helping the situation. 

Feyre seemed at a loss for words, but quickly drew herself up, “I said, thank the gods you didn’t marry him, Mother certainly would not have approved.” 

Cassian didn’t know where exactly that part of the sentence resonated with his mate, but he knew the relationship that Nesta had with her mother was different than her sisters. Cassian also happened to know that Feyre barely had a relationship with her mother, and every sister had a defensive side when it came to Mrs. Archeron. 

Cassian caught the eye of both Rhysand and Azriel, their eyes all communicating the same thing: the Archeron father was one thing, all the sisters got over his death in a different way, but it was an agreed upon trauma; the Archeron mother, however, was a topic that no sister breeched. 

Cassian had never heard Feyre even mention her besides the time at dinner when she made a comment about how she was unpleasant, and the only time Elain did was that same night, telling the Inner Circle about how Nesta was a weapon honed. 

“How dare you tell me what Mother would have approved of, it’s not like you cared to have a relationship with her.” Nesta snapped back, and Feyre stood up quickly. 

Rhysand, still standing, was already next to her, with his hand on her back in silent support, his anger a living thing that Cassian could feel throughout the room, but Nesta’s was matching him with her focus on Feyre. 

“You act like you ever talked to her or had anything to prove to her. She chose me as the one to reprimand, teach, and present myself. While I had to sit pretty and listen as every small detail of my life was planned and perfected, you got to hang onto dad’s arm and get your own interests, fuck whoever you wanted in barns without a care in the world, and play hero. You do not get to have a say in what you think mother would or would have approved of when you skid off and got your perfect life with your perfect crown and perfect child.” 

Cassian listened in horror as Nesta’s face turned red and Feyre’s features faltered and paled. The bite of his mate’s words was enough for him to give her a warning glare, 

“Nes come on,” he hissed. 

He knew she didn’t really mean what she was saying, knew that the rage she felt and was emitting towards Feyre was the wall she started building around herself yesterday to push the people she loved away from her past trauma. He knew she always saw Feyre’s small body the day she went into the woods, knew she saw her younger sister’s face crumbling at the news that her previous birth might have killed her. Nesta was under no illusions that Feyre’s life was far from perfect but could not get over the fact that her complete happiness was yet to arrive where Feyre’s did. 

She didn’t respond to him, and Feyre took a step forward, her paled face full of emotion and fury. The Inner Circle recognized Feyre as one of the most understanding and compassionate people that they have ever met, but even her sympathy had limits, and Nesta just crossed the line. 

“How could you even think my life was perfect or think that I should be grateful for the childhood that I had.” Feyre breathed. Her voice didn’t rise but her tone was building up to match Nesta. 

Cassian had never seen his friend so angry: sad and broken, yes, but never this furious. 

Nesta scoffed, but Feyre cut her off before she could speak. 

“I was given free reign because our parents did not care for me,” she said, quickly and to the point, “I would fall outside and scrape my knee and father did not tear away his gaze from his work as blood would pour down my leg. I had to beg mother to tuck me into bed at night, and even then, she still would not. 

“I had to sit on the sideline and watch has she doted on you, and father doted on Elain, while you all labeled me a strange child for being curious.” 

Cassian’s heart broke for Feyre, one of his closest friends and the girl he considered like a sister to him. They often bonded over the hardships of their past, the lack of parental affection and the starvation of poverty. He glanced at his brother, who’s cold fury made Cassian shutter. Rhys’ hands were gripping the chair, even harder than before, and Cassian knew it was taking a lot of his restraint to not lash out in anger at Nesta. 

Rhys always said it was harder for him to forgive Nesta’s past actions than Elain’s, but Cassian’s anger rose as he saw Elain move a little bit away from Feyre and reclaiming a seat. This was her fight too, and yet she did not offer anything, letting the battle rage between her younger and her older sister. 

Feyre continued, not letting Nesta counter any of her points. 

“you say I got to fuck whoever I wanted while you turned around in Velaris and did the same  
thing for a year and a half ago, funded by me and my mate. 

“I had mobility of my body when we were human, because mother did not care to plan a future for me.” Feyre stalked toward her sister, her calm resolve shattering as the rage of his High Lady was felt across the room. Azriel’s shadows gathered around him and Amren bit her bottom lip. 

Feyre jabbed a finger into Nesta’s chest, “you were supposed to marry a prince and Elain was supposed to marry a man she loved for beauty and wealth. It is all I heard in my childhood. Nesta this and Elain that. Mother would braid your hair and whisper of the life you were going to have, and when it was my turn to be spun fantasies and weddings, she slammed the door in my face and told me to play in father’s office.

“I felt no pressure because there were no expectations. You say it was freeing, but when mother’s only sign of affection and love was using her children, even then I was not worthy enough.” 

Feyre blew out a breath of fresh air, and tears formed in her eyes. Her hand remained pressed into Nesta’s stomach, but Nesta made no move to defend herself or shy away. Not out of anger, but shame. 

Cassian saw the apology build in his mate’s throat, and then saw it die, as she took a step back and sat back in her seat. Cassian knew he should comfort her, put a thigh on his chest and wrap around her from behind and whisper comforts in her ear, as Rhysand was doing to Feyre so quietly the room could not hear, but something stopped him. 

Before Feyre got back to the desk, she froze and turned around, as if remembering another point that Nesta threw in her face. 

“I’m not saying I had it worse than you, because I know I would not have been strong enough under Mother’s gaze and critiques,” she paused, taking another breath as the empathetic and understanding Feyre they all knew returned, with steel still in her demeanor 

“but do not tell me that I had a perfect life, or attack my mate and son as if I do not deserve them. You were the one who brought us back, and if you were going to use my happiness against me, I don’t know why you didn’t just let us die.” 

Elain gasped and Rhys opened his mouth, “Fey-“ he began, but she cut him off, turned on her heel and walked out, slamming the door behind her. 

Rhysand watched about to follow, but Cassian silently begged him to stay, he knew that would have when enough for Nesta to stay. He looked at his brother who nodded in understanding, but turned to his mate’s sister, about to curse her out, but she was pale and shaking. 

“I know,” she gasped, catching her emotions before tears fell from her eyes, “I know I’m horrible, she did everything for us.” 

Cassian led his mate back beside her and put a hand over hers, rubbing small circles, he knew no words would change anything for the time being. 

“I’ll be here tomorrow, and I’ll be reserved and calm. I didn’t mean to-“ she glanced at the slammed shut door and shook her head. 

“Apologize for me when you see her,” Nesta said to Rhysand, and he nodded silently, still angry, but less intense. 

The anger Cassian felt at Nesta’s attack on Feyre ebbed away, and he felt pity for the isolation that his mate puts upon herself. Even when she doesn’t mean what she says, she has a way of making every word feel like a knife to the heart, understanding exactly how to take down and push those away who want to support her. Cassian didn’t know how t make her understand she did not have to face that burden alone, but for the next hours, without Feyre, the group went through the procedure of the day tomorrow, Nesta silent but nodding along until they drew to a close and Rhysand nodded at his family, winnowing to his mate. 

Cassian bid everyone goodbye and as they walked outside, he scooped Nesta up and flew back to the House of Wind. He felt the hot wetness of her tears on his shoulder the whole way back.


End file.
